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News from Alma
Libre Bookstore - Puerto Morelos, Mexico
Click Here for Back Issues of Beach Reads
Welcome to 2012! Puerto Morelos celebrated the new year with food, fun and fireworks. A great night. The town is looking forward to a busy year. The country of Mexico hopes to attract more than double the usual number of visitors with all the attention on 2012 and the Mayan prophecies. Mexico's tourism department stresses it does not believe the world will end this year, but invites everyone to come to Mexico. Sounds good to us! If you want to be here on the beach on December 21 to get a front row seat on it all, best to book early. I've changed the format of the newsletter to try to make it more readable. The last issue was difficult for some to read because it was too wide. Let me know if you have any problems please. Also, my spell check melted down from extreme overuse and abuse. If you see a typo, please let me know. Bad jokes are intentional and were meant to be funny, so don't report those. Enjoy the issue! 2012 Annual "Best of Puerto Morelos" Survey (7th Annual!) Time again for our annual Puerto Morelos
survey, where we try to find out what you like best about Puerto Morelos. Your
favourite places to eat, hang out or have fun.
Please only fill out one survey per person. "Stuffing the ballot box" will not be tolerated and those responses will be deleted. Survey will close in early February.
To get you in the mood, here are some of the
results of last year's survey: Taxi Rate Increase Taxi fares have increased in Puerto Morelos, in some cases dramatically. Some rates doubled and some more than doubled.
Some of the increases are hard to understand. Fare to Ceiba del Mar more than doubled to 100 pesos from 40, yet fare to UNAM which is further down the road remains at 45. A person would be way ahead to ask to go to UNAM and just get out at Ceiba. Fare to Rancho Sak Ol stays at 40 pesos, El Cid goes to 100 from 60. Fares to the highway and close to the square remain at 20 pesos. Fare to the Jungle Market and Spa did not increase, it remains at 50 pesos. Here are some of the most important new fares:
20 pesos - The highway, Amar Inn, PlayaSol, Casa
de los Viajeros, Villa Shanti It is important to note that taking a taxi here is still a relative bargain. They are an extremely convenient and speedy way to get to your destination. Click here for a look at all the new fares. Ceiba Del Mar to Drop Name & Pants
There are a lot of euphoniums for what Desire offers. They call themselves a "clothing optional, couples only resort with secluded ambiance" It is also referred to as a "lifestyle resort", but basically it caters to people who wish to get naked and possibly get intimate with someone other than the person they made the reservation with. (clear enough?) This all has the village quite concerned as Ceiba del Mar has always been a pretty good neighbour, and their guests, who are not obligated to take the all-inclusive option, were frequent visitors and patrons to Puerto Morelos. Guests chose to do some of their shopping and dining in town, supporting our small businesses. We're not sure the clothing optional guests with their mandatory all-inclusive will be as likely to even stop in. There is also concern about the beach in front of the resort becoming clothing optional, as it is a very well travelled route between PoMo and the big resorts and vacation homes north of us. Desire already has a resort to the north at Petempich, but it is much more isolated from the town. The beaches of Mexico belong to the people of Mexico, and as I understand it, public nudity is against the law, so I am not sure how this is allowed. Most of us really don't care what people do in the privacy of their own room or even on top of their own refrigerators, but we do not want anyone feeling uncomfortable walking our magnificent beach or being discouraged from finding our town. Desire Pearl opens on March 30, 2012. This is their website. New Products
We are also now carrying the popular Chimay hot
sauces.
Folks north of the border clamour for this stuff. Chimay makes the
hottest habanero known to man, and they also make flavourful sauces
for more sensitive palates. Chimay Salsa Habanera comes in four
flavours, colors and levels of spiciness to suit your palate: Negra
la menos picante (black, the least spicy), verde la poco picante
(green, a little spicy), roja la muy picante (red, very spicy),
amarilla la extra picante (yellow, extra spicy).
We're not quite open 24 hours, but we are 7 days a week with the new hours. 11:00am to 2:30pm and 3:30pm to 8:00pm every day. Even Sunday! Please note that we are often closed daily between 2:30 & 3:30, though you may find us in. We are hoping that by closing for less hours in the afternoon we won't miss as many day trippers into PoMo from Cancun and Playa. Come see us!
We are ordering new books for the store about once a month and we can bring in books for you too! Depending on the number of books you order, shipping and duty will be between $3 and $5 US per book. There is no sales tax or any other fees. This is much quicker and cheaper than any other source we have found, including Amazon. Our next order will be soon. To order, just contact us to make sure we are able to get the book you want. Jungle Market / Jungle Spa The Jungle Market has returned, and the ladies in the jungle have already cooked up some surprises. They even had a market on Christmas Day with a posada featuring Mary, Joseph, the baby Jesus and a live donkey!
The Jungle Spa has been so popular, they have expanded the days that it is open and are requesting that people make appointments either by telephone or email. This will ensure you don't waste any time waiting for your treatment. To make an appointment, contact Sandra at (998) 208 9148 or Cell 044 998 180-5424 or by email through her website. Appointments are available Tuesday-Saturday and limited appointments may be available on Sunday. The spa is closed on Monday. Many treatments are available, from manicures and pedicures to a luxurious aloe vera and banana leaf wrap and massage! (or a chocolate massage...does it get any better??) For men, there is the "Mayan Macho" massage. You've never had a massage like this! They even have special massages for young adults. Spa prices are much lower than you will find at your resort and proceeds go directly to the Mayan families that work at the spa and Jungle Market. It's easy to get out to the jungle by car, taxi or collectivo. It's on Calle Dos (kie-yay dose) in the Zona Urbana, which is right behind the Colonia. Here's a map you can print out. Taxi to the jungle from the town square is still 50 pesos. Tell driver you want to go to: Jungle Spa - Sandra (important to mention her name) Zona Urbana. Remember, when you pamper yourself at the Jungle Spa or buy a unique gift
at the Mayan Market, you are directly supporting Mayan families! This is a very
worthwhile venture and we hope you will support it. Money Matters
Just a reminder to visitors that there is no place to cash traveler's cheques in Puerto Morelos. The easiest way to get pesos is at the Santander ATM in front of the police station or the HSBC ATM beside the supermarket on the square. If they are out of money, there is another machine in the 7-11 by the gas station. There are also three ATMs in town that are not affiliated with banks. Two are at the mall across the square from the bookstore and another is at OXXO. Since these are not affiliated with a bank, the fees are much higher than the Santander and HSBC machines. Home and Condo Rentals January and February are high season here, though we still have some rentals available. Most of our places book up to a year in advance for February especially, but there are some holes in the schedule. Many ex-pats have built their dream homes here in PM and are willing to rent it to you! Renting a place makes you feel more like a local and offers the convenience of cooking for yourself and much more privacy.Regular Beach Readers know that we feature some of these properties on our website. There are a gazillion property rental sites out there, but our site is unique because these are properties we know, owned and run by people we know and trust. We like to think we take the guesswork and risk out of renting. We're always adding new properties to the site and new photos too!
Click here to download a printable info sheet on the above three apartments *By the way, it is not too early to start thinking about 2013. I am handling emails every day from people who waited too long to book Christmas and February!* Check out our new, easier to navigate rentals page here. Owners! Contact us to get your FREE listing on our website. Ads by Google:
Restaurant News: Good news and bad news to report this month. Bad news, Peskayito is closed and no longer making those shrimp tacos I loved. Good news is that the very successful "Al Chimmichurri" is taking over the space, installing a big oven. They will use that oven to make pizzas and breads for delivery. They should be up and running by mid-February. By the way, if you want to go to Chimmichurri, get there early...they are very busy this season. Word has got out how good they are! Restaurant Aldea del Mar has changed their name to Pangea. El Pirata restaurant, an icon in PoMo is for sale. We have once again updated our PoMo restaurant guide, check it out on our website.
World Wide What: Looks like a new internet cafe is opening up across from Cantina Habanero. Wet Set Dive Shop has new owners. Former owners Paul and Jennifer Hensley sent out an email on January 13 saying they had sold the shop and were "pursuing other desires." Here is a link to their announcement. Small Town: Sometimes our duties at the bookstore go beyond books. The other day Joanne was working when a customer came in with a toothache. Joanne just happened to be on Facebook at the same time as Dr. Carlos, our excellent town dentist. She sent him an instant message and Carlos was able to take the person right away. They bought a book too. This is when you love living in a small town! The road into town from the highway is a bit of a mess right now, but it is for a good cause. They are adding a separate bike lane to the road so that cycling will not be the bone-jarring death-defying adventure it is now. This will be a great boon to those who must commute every day to town and will make it much easier to visit the Colonia.
Ask A Realtor: Mayan Riviera Properties will again be offering their weekly workshop outlining how to buy property in our area. Great chance to learn and ask your questions about living here full or part time. Workshops run each Tuesday at 5:00.
Swim Fans: The annual swimming tournament in Puerto Morelos will be held February 18. They hit the water at 8:00 am. Cambi-Oh!: Once again we are short of change in the bookstore. We simply can't get enough 5 & 10 pesos coins and 20 peso bills. We do not need 1 or 2 peso coins. We really did try to get some small change from our bank but the first time we went, they had run out of coins themselves. (Really?) The second time we went, he would not give me coins because it was after 12:00 noon. (Whaaa?) I try to explain to people how bad the banks are here, but I think those stories illustrate my point better than I could ever explain. If your pockets are laden with change, bring 'em by the bookstore and we will exchange your 5s/10s and 20's for crisp bills. Gracias! Sailing to Cancun: The recent road construction near Bonfil is over! Crews made quick work of an underpass that eliminates one traffic light on the way to Cancun. The colour scheme reminds me of a 1970's swimming pool, but the traffic flows freely...until you hit the next traffic light...and of course you have already passed the unnecessary police roadblock near the hotel zone...and you have dodged all the new potholes on the road into Cancun. Sigh. Marriage for all: For a brief period of time it looked like same-sex marriage would be recognized in Quintana Roo. Some sharp-eyed legal experts noticed that the civil code was gender-neutral and several couples applied for marriage licenses. Now the Secretary of State for Quintana Roo has ordered a review of the law, so everything is on hold. Same sex marriage is legal in Mexico City.
Free WiFi: It's getting even easier to stay connected in Puerto Morelos. Many of the restaurants and our bookstore will give you free access with a purchase, and Cablemas is now offering a free signal. Look for it around the town square. Planet Cafe beside OXXO has computers with high-speed connections. Bunch O' Booths: A lot of booths have sprung up around the square. Most of these booths are selling snorkel and fishing trips. Some are selling tours. Some are selling time-share or vacation clubs. Make sure you know the difference when you are talking to the person at these booths. If the price of a tour or trip seems too good to be true, there may be strings attached. Check out our Puerto Morelos Services page for good local businesses that will show you the sights right! As we reported before, The Miami Herald Cancun Edition is no more. Look for a copy of the USA Today Cancun Edition at your hotel or convenience store. It's being put together by the same local staff. Check out the weekend edition for "Footprints" a special section devoted to the best in our area. What did I miss? Let me know! This Newsletter is being sent to you on a new server. It charges us for each individual email that it sends out, so if you are receiving this email more than once, please unsubscribe the extra addresses. Because it charges us for each email, it is very careful to ensure all the addresses are valid. If it has trouble getting the email to you, it will delete your name and never send you another email. If you were receiving our email, but now you are not, try signing up again using the form on our web page. This "double-opt-in" system is much more accurate and should ensure you continue to receive this newsletter. You can try adding our email address to your contact list too, so that your spam blocker doesn't delete us. Gracias! Don't hate us, we've added Google Ads to the newsletter in an attempt to cover some of its costs. We have no control over the ads that pop up, Google decides that, and we are in no position to tell them what to do! Please let us know though if anything odd shows up. Please note, these ads don't begin to cover our costs for this newsletter. If you like this newsletter, please support it by buying books at Alma Libre. Gracias!
Current Exchange Rates (At the exchange in Puerto
Morelos) The real rate is closer to 14.00. You will get a better rate from the ATM. This Just In! Books & Products at Alma Libre We love keeping you up to date with our town, but it's the books that keep us going. We're finding all sorts of new stuff this year, these are a few of our favourites....
Gift Certificates! A nice gift idea for someone who lives here is an Alma Libre Gift certificate. Available in any amount and can be used for new or used merchandise. We can accept payments from up north via Paypal.
Are you on Facebook? If so, look for our Facebook groups. Friends of Puerto Morelos &Alma Libre Bookstore. You can also buck up your friends list by making Alma Libre Bookstore your friend. You can also like Alma Libre Bookstore. The groups have grown very quickly! Friends of Puerto Morelos just passed 860 members! If you are on Facebook, please join our groups. We'll use them to keep you up to date with town news between newsletters. Check out the group for new photos of Puerto Morelos, taken by fellow visitors! And if that is not enough for you...you can also follow us on Twitter. This is our twitter home page. You can follow us throughout the day.
Google Ads:
Our hours are always posted on the front page of our website at www.almalibrebooks.com. We take trades every day, so our selection is constantly changing. If you are planning a trip down, why not bring some recent bestsellers to trade and check out our store, or plan to buy all your reading material at Alma Libre. We got you covered! We look forward to seeing you in Puerto Morelos! Beach Reads is the official newsletter of Alma Libre Bookstore in Puerto Morelos Mexico. It is mailed directly to your mailbox if you request it. Beach Reads is published on a sporadic, seemingly random basis...but it is supposed to be approximately monthly during the season at Puerto Morelos. The season is November until after Easter. We do our best to publish it regularly...but we are easily distracted... Our website is located at www.almalibrebooks.com Our store hours are always on the home page. If you do not wish to receive this newsletter, please Click Here To Unsubscribe This is Year #10, Issue #2. January 2012. To subscribe or make comments or suggestions or advertise your local event, please Contact Us Retransmission & Redistribution of this newsletter without express written consent is just fine by us! Send this newsletter to a friend! (or get them to sign up for their own copy) If you like the newsletter, please support it by buying a book at Alma Libre Bookstore. 
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Happy New Year / Feliz Año!
For example, taxi fare to the Botanical garden
went increased from 50 pesos to 100. Fare to Crococun went from 50 pesos to 150.
Playa Secreto is now 250, up from 130. Hotel Now Sapphire went from 90 pesos to
250.
Ceiba
del Mar, the luxury spa on the outskirts of PoMo will be no more as of the end
of March. On March 30 it will become Desire Pearl Resort & Spa.
After a whole lot of researching, we have started carrying some
special gourmet and food items in the store. You'll find Mexican
grown coffee, hot chocolate, hard-to find clear vanilla,
Mayan honey, and a selection of locally made hot sauces.
Bookstore Hours
- We're open 7 days a week and different hours!
Don't miss this unique local event, and come
hungry, as the authentic Mayan & Mexican food is a highlight of any visit. The
market opens at 10 am and the popular dance show is at 11:00 am 
New anti-money laundering laws here in Mexico require exchange houses to record
your passport number to exchange US cash for pesos. You will need a copy of your
passport to exchange cash at any exchange place in Mexico.
The Casa de la Cultura will be holding their 7th annual Festival of
Music on January 26, 27, 28 and February 2, 3 & 4. We're a proud sponsor of
this event and they are looking for more sponsors. Please contact them through
Villas
Morelos II: We stopped by the showroom for the "Happy Houses" as we call
them (because of their smiling house-shaped logo) and checked out their plans.
Villas Morelos II is in operation and homes sell for as low as 450,000 pesos for
a two bedroom, one bath home. That's about $33,000 US. They also showed us their
enormous two-story model home with four bedrooms and four baths for under one
million pesos, about $73,000 US. Their next project is called Regatta. It
is on the other side of the highway, beside and behind Crococun. Regatta will be
a little higher end with a yoga centre and a jogging track. They are selling
lots for 20,000 US. The final phase will be Villas La Playa which is
located between Morelos I and II. Part of its plans call for a shopping mall
with a grocery store and movie theatres.
USA
Dollar 13.00
CDN
Dollar 12.20
Postcards!
We've added a lot of new postcards to our collection, including more
underwater shots by "Dive
Diva." We have the largest selection of Puerto Morelos postcards, and they
are all exclusive to Alma Libre. We know because we make 'em! We also have blank
greeting cards to cover any occasion you may wish to celebrate while you are in
paradise.
Facebook
& Twitter
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Text & Photos ©2002-2012 Alma Libre Bookstore. Please do not use our content on your website without our specific permission.